Celtic’s Europa League draw pot confirmed after Champions League nightmare

Celtic are on course to be placed in Pot 2 for Friday’s Europa League draw despite their dramatic Champions League exit to LASK.

Martin O’Neill’s side saw a four-goal aggregate advantage disappear in Austria, but their UEFA coefficient should still provide a relatively strong seeding when attention turns to the Europa League.

The final pots will be completed following Thursday’s remaining qualifiers, although Celtic’s Pot 2 position is already secure in the latest projections.

Football Rankings currently places Celtic fifth among the nine teams in Pot 2 with a coefficient of 44.000.

Dinamo Zagreb sit immediately above the Hoops on 46.500, while Sparta Prague are below them on 38.250. Ferencvaros currently top the section, with Stade Rennais occupying the final confirmed position and one place still to be determined.

However, Pot 2 no longer offers the protection it once did under UEFA’s previous group-stage format.

Celtic will face two opponents from each of the four pots during their eight league-phase fixtures, meaning two games will come against fellow Pot 2 sides. They will also be handed two Pot 1 opponents and two each from Pots 3 and 4.

One fixture against a team from each pot will take place at Celtic Park and the other away.

That opens up the possibility of Celtic facing some significant European names, with Juventus at home and Bayer Leverkusen away among the potential combinations.

UEFA will conduct the Europa League draw at noon on Friday.